Investigation of the H(+)-myo-inositol transporter (HMIT) as a neuronal regulator of phosphoinositide signalling.

Phosphoinositide signalling regulates a series of important neuronal processes that are thought to be altered in mood disorders. Furthermore, mood-stabilizing drugs inhibit key enzymes that regulate phosphoinositide production and alter neuronal growth cone morphology in an inositol-reversible manner. Inositol is taken up by neurons from the extracellular fluid, presumably via membrane transporters; it can also be synthesized by the enzyme MIP-synthase (myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase) and, in addition, it is generated by inositol phospholipid hydrolysis. The neuronal-specific HMIT (H(+)-myo-inositol transporter) represents a potential regulator of inositol signalling in neurons that warrants further investigation.